3D printing with metals has never been more accessible to the manufacturing community. Each material adds a unique range of mechanical properties to broaden perfect-fit applications using 3D metal printing. Maneuvering the differences between metals, especially metals with similar properties, will better suit you in the long run when picking a metal for your project. Nuances between a few readily available stainless steel compositions – namely, Stainless Steel 17-4Ph and Stainless Steel 316L – impact project readiness and are critical to note.

Inconel 625, Inconel 718, Titanium Ti64, and Cobalt Chrome CoCrMo are best suited for high-end, production applications. These metals will typically perform with higher tensile strengths. Aluminium AlSi10Mg can build faster than other DMLS materials. While it has good thermal properties, strength and hardness, its speed has made it a favorite among lower cost prototypes. Titanium Ti64 meets ASTM F1472 requirements. It is most commonly applied to complex aerospace designs, like engines and turbines. Cobalt Chrome CoCrMo, which has a history of meeting ISO specs for biocompatibility, has excellent corrosion resistance and is more favored for medical and dental prototypes. Inconel 625 and Inconel 718 meet identical hardness and temperature performances, with 718 yielding slightly higher for strength.

A Tale of Two Steels

Stainless Steel 17-4PH & 316L Comparison Chart

Stainless Steel 17-4PH

Stainless Steel 316L

Magnetic

Non-magnetic

Strengthening through Heat Treatment

Cannot undergo Heat Treatment

Good Hardness

Good Ductility

Good Corrosion Resistance

Higher Corrosion Resistance

Good Weldability

Excellent Weldability

Slower Build Time
(can impact cost)

Faster Build Time
(can be more cost effective)

Stainless Steel 17-4PH

Strengths:

Performs well in high strength applications requiring above average hardness mechanical properties

Can be heat treated to improve strength and hardness, and exceed the hardness properties of Stainless Steel 316L

Design Tips for DMLS

DMLS parts built with Stainless Steel 17-4PH and 316L achieve layer thickness, or resolution, as small as 40-60 microns on the Z axis, with minimum feature sizes around 0.012” – 0.016”. Minimum recommended wall thickness for these materials is 0.012” – 0.016” and minimum hole diameter is 0.035” – 0.045”. When designing for DMLS, keep in mind that angles below 45° will require build supports; Stratasys Direct Manufacturing build engineers will apply supports for designs and arrange designs on the build platform to assure the best build is achieved. Standard tolerances for DMLS are ± 0.005” for the first inch and ± 0.002”/” thereafter.

DMLS prototypes and end-use components and parts offer a more affordable method to reach complex designs for metal applications. Visit our materials page to learn more about the DMLS metals and their mechanical properties.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering Resources

Revolutionary DMLS Surgical Tool Repairs Ligaments

The success rate of ACL reconstruction is revolutionized with a 3D printed surgical tool.

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